1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hollow bats primarily for softball and, more particularly, to metallic and composite hard shell bats. Such bats typically include a metal outer shell which may be formed of aluminum or titanium alloy or other metals or may be made of composite construction. As referred to herein, the terms xe2x80x9caluminumxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9ctitaniumxe2x80x9d are intended to encompass the metals and alloys and mixtures of metals and alloys formulated for the manufacture of bat shells.
2. Prior Art
Various methods of affixing end caps to the tubular barrel end of baseball bats are known. Typically, the end cap includes a cylindrical plug or skirt which is which may be cast in place or force fit so as to be closely received in the end of the barrel and affixed thereto by adhesive or by a mechanical interlock or both. See, for example the Heald U.S. Pat. No. 3,729,196 issued Apr. 24, 1973; the Wilson U.S. Pat. No. 3,735,473 issued May 29, 1973 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,811,596 issued May 21, 1974; the Pouzou U.S. Pat. No. 3,834,698 issued Sep. 10, 1974; and the Souders, et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,395,108 issued Mar. 7, 1995.
The primary objective of the invention is to provide an end cap assembly for thin wall tubular baseball and softball bats, particularly aluminum bats, so that the thin wall barrel need not be machined or otherwise reconfigured to facilitate attachment of an end cap thereto.
The present invention provides an end cap assembly for closing the open end of a tubular ball bat having a thin generally cylindrical barrel wall, said assembly comprising a cylindrical sleeve sized to slidably and closely fit into the barrel of the bat, said sleeve providing an annular cap seat at one end of said sleeve, and an annular groove on an exterior annular surface of said sleeve for defining an annular glue chamber with said barrel, a glue fill port extending through said sleeve from the interior of said sleeve to said annular groove, said sleeve also having an internal annular recess for receiving an annular lock collar on a depending skirt of a bat end cap, said recess being axially spaced from said annular cap seat, and a bat end cap having an axially extending annular skirt and an annular lock collar on the exterior surface of said skirt, said collar being closely received in said annular recess in said sleeve for affixing said cap to said sleeve.